Those of you who started Firecracker during MS2 - how did you do it?

[docterspaceman]

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I know some students successfully complete Firecracker, even though they start it at the beginning of MS2. But I'm having a hard time with it. I actually enjoy/find it not too bad to cover material immediately after I've learned it in lecture. And I don't mind the daily reviews. What's really difficult for me is finding the time to go back to cover MS1 material simultaneously with my classes.

I am currently ~20% banked, and have to be flagging at ~7 cards a day in order to be done before dedicated study time. Any tips from MS2-FC'ers who successfully finished?

How did you schedule your time? (Maybe an hour every day dedicated to flagging MS1 material, or going on massive MS1 reviews/flagging binges on weekends/holidays? Or maybe just adding an extra microbe or two every day?)

Did you have to grade yourself very generously? (Should I be aiming to be able type out full answers to questions, or should I be happy with recognizing the answer once I see it - and then grading that as a 4 or 5. And what about more specific things like drug side effect questions? Do you try to list all of them before you grade yourself a 4 or 5?)

Sorry if some of these questions seem beyond idiotic. I just feel like I really have to front-load my efforts (as an MS2) and get as much done as early as possible in order to get FC's benefits (as they need time to come to fruition).

 

[Brain Bucket]

There's a thread dedicated to fc. Two even.

I know some students successfully complete Firecracker, even though they start it at the beginning of MS2. But I'm having a hard time with it. I actually enjoy/find it not too bad to cover material immediately after I've learned it in lecture. And I don't mind the daily reviews. What's really difficult for me is finding the time to go back to cover MS1 material simultaneously with my classes.

It's not too bad. Break it up by cards and bank a few M1 every day. Luckily, it either isn't a lot of material or isn't very difficult - with the notable exception of biochemistry. You'd be doing the same thing with FA.

I am currently ~20% banked, and have to be flagging at ~7 cards a day in order to be done before dedicated study time. Any tips from MS2-FC'ers who successfully finished?

How did you schedule your time? (Maybe an hour every day dedicated to flagging MS1 material, or going on massive MS1 reviews/flagging binges on weekends/holidays? Or maybe just adding an extra microbe or two every day?)

Doing it every day is the way to go. Binges defeat the purpose entirely. You might as well sit with FA.

Did you have to grade yourself very generously? (Should I be aiming to be able type out full answers to questions, or should I be happy with recognizing the answer once I see it - and then grading that as a 4 or 5. And what about more specific things like drug side effect questions? Do you try to list all of them before you grade yourself a 4 or 5?)

Depends on your goal. I'm pretty strict, but others are quite generous. They're by no means less intelligent or knowledgeable. If you can list everything, that's a 5, no question. I try to reproduce the entire card by memory. If I miss 1-2 facts, that's a 4, 3-4 is a 3, any more is a 2. If I can't answer the Q, that's a 1 by default, even if I can recall the other factoids. My friends are much more lenient, but most of us have M1 banked with 100% mastery and a fair amount of M2 banked. The ones who subscribed recently are getting through M1 fairly quickly, but then they were excellent students to begin with.

Sorry if some of these questions seem beyond idiotic. I just feel like I really have to front-load my efforts (as an MS2) and get as much done as early as possible in order to get FC's benefits (as they need time to come to fruition).

I agree. As you spend more time on FC, you'll either give up, or be able to answer these questions for yourself.

 

[notbobtrustme]

I just been banking M1 as part of the M2 curriculum. Right now, we are doing systems pathology, so as we get through a system, I'll bank the physio alongside. This has been working pretty damn well.

 

[docterspaceman]

Nice, that sounds good. My curriculum is organ-system based however, so I guess that's not a viable option for me. Guess I just have to sack up and grind them out.

Brain bucket - thanks for the help. Could I get your opinion (or your classmates) on FC'ing biochem/microbio? My initial thought would be to flag them early to get more exposure to the material, but conventional wisdom from upperclassmen at my school is to save those topics for closer to step 1 and bust through them using short term memory (but then again, they didn't use FC). Have you found your retention of the biochem/microbio material to be pretty good, or would you recommend saving those topics for closer to the Step? I imagine that having all of microbio flagged could get overwhelming.

My friends are much more lenient, but most of us have M1 banked with 100% mastery and a fair amount of M2 banked. The ones who subscribed recently are getting through M1 fairly quickly, but then they were excellent students to begin with.
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The board average at your school is going to be ridiculous. Nobody at my school uses FC.

 

[Brain Bucket]

Nice, that sounds good. My curriculum is organ-system based however, so I guess that's not a viable option for me. Guess I just have to sack up and grind them out.

Brain bucket - thanks for the help. Could I get your opinion (or your classmates) on FC'ing biochem/microbio? My initial thought would be to flag them early to get more exposure to the material, but conventional wisdom from upperclassmen at my school is to save those topics for closer to step 1 and bust through them using short term memory (but then again, they didn't use FC). Have you found your retention of the biochem/microbio material to be pretty good, or would you recommend saving those topics for closer to the Step? I imagine that having all of microbio flagged could get overwhelming.


The board average at your school is going to be ridiculous. Nobody at my school uses FC.

Don't 'save' anything, you'll have plenty on your hands closer to the test. The earlier you do them, the more exposure you'll have to them over time. Also, you will see Micro when you're doing path, so it'll help you there as well.